Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,451 per month in Medina vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Medina vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,255 per month in Medina vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Medina and Mexico City have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Medina and Mexico City sit above the global median – Medina by 9%, Mexico City by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 SAR 21.48

$13.07 MX$229

-56.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.52 SAR 118

$53.8 MX$943

-41.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$9.68 MX$170

-17.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cappuccino

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$3.74 MX$65.6

-34.49%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$1.62 MX$28.34

-51.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 SAR 1.57

$1.16 MX$20.37

-63.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.65 MX$28.89

-3.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.66

$2.75 MX$48.30

-64.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$1.87 MX$32.87

24.06%

Eggs

$2.05 SAR 7.71

$2.50 MX$43.86

-18.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$10.20 MX$179

-34.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 SAR 26.61

$8.25 MX$145

-14.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 SAR 46.72

$11.82 MX$207

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$3.01 MX$52.8

-21.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

$1.81 MX$31.77

14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.00 MX$35.07

12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.00 MX$35.00

-14.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$2.08 MX$36.56

-31.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$2.27 MX$39.85

-35.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.46 MX$25.55

-32.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 SAR 3.29

$1.08 MX$18.88

-18.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.61 SAR 28.57

$4.35 MX$76.3

74.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.39 MX$6.79

179.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.08 SAR 139

$18.69 MX$328

98.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.33 MX$23.25

-0.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$0.28 MX$4.91

489.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 SAR 20.99

$5.25 MX$92.1

6.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.34 MX$23.44

-51.49%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

8.08%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-9.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$203 SAR 763

$40.69 MX$714

399.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$33.06 SAR 124

$26.87 MX$471

23.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$30.51 MX$535

242.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 SAR 285

$52.8 MX$926

43.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.10 SAR 34.18

$26.65 MX$467

-65.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$6.51 MX$114

107.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$287 SAR 1,078

$428 MX$7,508

-32.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-29.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$57.3 MX$1,004

-34.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$45.50 MX$798

17.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 SAR 251

$104 MX$1,825

-35.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 SAR 370

$108 MX$1,891

-8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 SAR 1,633

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-56.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,082

$623 MX$10.9K

-10.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 SAR 2,674

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-66.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 SAR 1,574

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-65.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,267 SAR 8,513

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-41.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,344 SAR 5,046

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-33.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 SAR 5,030

$1,038 MX$18.2K

29.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-73.54%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medina: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $435 in Medina versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Medina. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Medina versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $292 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medina vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,177 per month in Medina and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $287 per month in Medina and $428 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,451, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Medina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medina costs $1,451 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.